The Humor Research Lab (HuRL) at the University of Colorado, Boulder is seeking applications from hardworking, motivated students who want to develop research, design, or programming skills while contributing to the study of humor. Research projects include:


-Understanding production and appreciation

-Creating digital tools to measure humor

-Creating algorithms to recommend humorous content


HuRL is dedicated to the scientific study of humor, its precipitating factors, and its consequences. The lab’s theoretical and methodological base is in the interdisciplinary fields of emotion and judgment and decision making, with an emphasis in social and cognitive psychology.


We are filling positions from psychology, marketing, advertising, fine arts, design, computer science, engineering, statistics, marketing, and other majors who can contribute to one of three areas:


Research – design and implementation of survey and experimental techniques

Design – design of web pages, stimuli, presentations, measurement tools

Programming – web page creation, data base management, creation of digital tools


Undergraduates and graduate students, as well as professionals are welcome to apply. Only rarely do we select senior undergraduate research assistants. Freshman, sophomores, and juniors are particularly encouraged to apply.


Students can work in a variety of capacities: volunteer, academic credit (independent study), UROP undergraduate fellowships, and senior honors.


If you are interested, please submit:

  1. 1. A cover letter indicating your interests, what kind of experience you are seeking, what capacity you would like to work in (work study, academic credit, etc.), and when you would be available to start.

  2. 2. A resume

  3. 3. An unofficial transcript

  4. 4. Two or three names and phone numbers of professional reference (professors, bosses, TAs, etc.



Submit information by emailing Erin Percival Carter at erin.percival@colorado.edu.



HuRL is directed by Dr. Peter McGraw, Associate Professor of Marketing and Psychology at the University of Colorado, Boulder.


Dr. McGraw also co-directs the Moral Research Lab (MoRL).

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